Combs used for styling and grooming of the hair are well known. Such combs typically comprise a linear array of teeth which may be raked through the hair so as to position the hair in a desired manner. Various styles and configurations of combs are known.
Additionally, it is well known to apply various fluids, i.e., hair oil, conditioner, hair coloring, lightener, highlight, gloss, detangler, and the like, to the hair to promote its health and improve its appearance. Such fluids are typically applied by being dispensed from their container onto one's hair and then being manually dispersed through the hair with one's hands. Such manual dispersion of the fluid through one's hair inherently possesses substantial disadvantages. For instance, it generally requires that the user's hands come into intimate contact with the fluid. This is particularly undesirable in many instances wherein the fluid being dispersed may discolor or otherwise have an undesirable effect upon the skin and/or fingernails of the user's hands.
Furthermore, once a user's hands have come into contact with such a fluid, it is extremely difficult to avoid transferring the fluid to the user's clothing and/or other nearby objects. This is due to the frequency and habitual nature of utilizing one's hands in the performance of essentially all manual tasks.
For example, one may reach into one's pocket prior to remembering that one's hands have contacted the fluid, thus soiling one's clothing. This is particularly crucial in those instances where a fluid such as hair coloring is being applied to one's hair and has come into contact with one's hands. Such hair colorings may potentially discolor or stain clothing, towels, or other items or fabrics with which they come into contact.
A comb having an absorbent pad disposed within grooves formed in the teeth thereof for retaining and dispersing fluid throughout a user's hair is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,942, issued on Aug. 15, 1972, to Nicholas McKay, entitled CARTRIDGE COMB, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. However, this comb suffers from the deficiency that it is comparatively difficult to remove and replace the absorbent pad within the comb.
Thus, although the prior art method of dispensing such fluids has proven generally suitable for its intended purpose, the process possesses inherent deficiencies which detract from its overall desirability and effectiveness. In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, it is therefore desirable to provide a means for dispensing such fluids which does not require the user to manually disperse the fluids throughout the hair utilizing the hands.